With unwavering resolve, Kieran spearheaded the group of dark elves into the rocky mountain. He was fully aware that the two fleeing humans were attempting to leverage the labyrinthine maze of tunnels within the mountain as either a means to elude their pursuers or as a tactical position to ambush from.
One of the hurdles they faced in their pursuit was the interference with their spirit-reading senses. The planet they were on boasted a unique gravitational field that scrambled their extrasensory abilities. But Kieran, in his cool and calculative demeanor, saw this not as a disadvantage, but as an equalizing factor. The humans, devoid of their heightened senses, were rendered as blind as the elves in this pursuit.
Being a strategic leader, Kieran executed a thorough inspection of the vicinity, ensuring there were no secondary entrances that could potentially serve as escape routes for the humans. Assured of their complete control over the entrance, he, along with his formidable group of ten, infiltrated the tunnel.
Their journey led them to a broad entrance chamber, a central hub from which multiple tunnels branched out, burrowing deep into the heart of the mountain. As highly trained assassins, the dark elves had honed their tracking skills to perfection. Utilizing these skills and their detection spells, they were able to discern recent passage through two of the tunnels.
"They've separated. How naive!" One of the elves exclaimed, expressing amusement at the apparent blunder.
Kieran, however, did not share this perspective. His instincts and past encounters with the elusive humans had taught him never to underestimate his prey. Thus, he decided to split his group into three; each subgroup composed of four elves would venture into one of the identified tunnels. Meanwhile, he and two of his most skilled assassins would remain in the main chamber, ready to provide reinforcements to whichever group located the humans first.
"Remember," he cautioned his groups, "that half-blood isn't easy prey. Even with odds stacked four against two, wait for backup."
Before his groups embarked on their separate paths, Kieran conjured dozens of shadow bats. These creatures, born of darkness and magic, would serve as their means of communication within the winding tunnels. Subsequently, he and his two Hashasi companions cloaked themselves with a concealment spell, melding with the shadows, preparing an ambush for their unsuspecting foes. Kieran was confident in his plan. He believed he would successfully flush out the humans, creating the perfect opportunity to slay the half-blood with his own hands.
After a tense quarter of an hour in the shadows, Kieran's patience was rewarded as one of the subgroups reported their findings via the shadow bats.
"We've detected two of them!" the message echoed within the chamber.
Kieran questioned back, "Are you certain?"
Affirmation followed quickly, "Absolutely. Two humans, running deeper into the cave system, hiding amidst the Driders!"
Kieran's scarred face pulled into a subtle grin. His plan was unfolding as he'd predicted. However, his instincts prompted him to exercise caution. He ordered the second group to return to the entrance chamber as a safeguard. Meanwhile, he himself ventured to the location of the first group to reinforce them.
They sliced through a dozen Driders obstructing their path, their determination fueled by the promise of a looming confrontation. Finally, they spotted the two human figures they'd been pursuing, only to be struck with surprise. The figures were merely clay effigies, magical distractions conjured by the humans.
"They've fooled us! They're trying to escape!" one of the elves exclaimed in realization.
In a flurry of urgency, Kieran attempted to communicate with the group he'd left at the entrance. Met with silence, he redirected his call to the second group, expecting them to have reached the entrance before him. Their response spiked his alarm; their return path was blocked and it would take them some time to clear it.
"Damn it, they're getting away!" Kieran growled in frustration.
Seized by desperation, Kieran resorted to a divine spell that he stole a long while before from a high elf he killed, [Thunderstride Blitz] This spell bestowed the caster with a temporary surge of unparalleled speed. However, its use was confined to locomotion unless the caster had achieved a certain level of battle power.
His mind was abuzz with thoughts of the unfolding fight in the chamber, a desperate hope clinging to the capability of his two men in holding the half-blood long enough for him to reach.
As Kieran dashed into the entrance chamber, a satisfied smile formed on his lips. There stood the half-blood, surrounded by the corpses of his two men. He paid no mind to their fallen bodies. His primary concern was the half-blood; he'd made it in time before the latter could escape.
His smile faltered abruptly when he noticed the entrance tunnel. It was no longer there. The escape route had been effectively sealed off. The chilling reality set in as the half-blood locked his gaze onto Kieran, a challenging glint in his eyes.
"Now both of us cant escape anymore"
A death match was imminent within the confines of the cave.
####
Roughly half an hour prior to the tense standoff in the cave's entrance chamber, Emery and Atlas arrived at the mouth of the cave system. With the utilization of Atlas' [Seismic Scan], they were able to quickly ascertain the labyrinthine structure of the cavernous tunnels. Emery immediately set to work, devising a strategy.
He crafted a potent [Mineralized Warrior], an earthen construct imbued with a sliver of his spirit energy. To misdirect the pursuing elves, he created two such constructs and dispatched them down separate tunnels. As the mineral warriors went about their decoy mission, Emery utilized the tunnel system's intricate layout to secure a hiding spot.
Emery laid his palms on the rocky surface of the cave floor. Despite the planet's unique gravitational interference, his advanced affinity with the law of nature allowed him to feel the faint vibrations caused by the dark elves' movements. The footsteps served as his radar, a guide helping him to map the movements of his pursuers.
As the elves delved deeper into the tunnels, choosing paths in pursuit of his decoys, Emery slipped past them unnoticed. He activated carefully laid traps, effectively blocking their return path, before darting towards the entrance of the cave.
The two Hashashi guarding the entrance were formidable opponents, their presence concealed within the shadows. However, Emery, armed with the knowledge of their ambush location, played a simple trick, feigning an attempt to escape. This ruse successfully lured them into revealing their positions, and with swift precision, Emery countered their attacks, eliminating them both.
Once he had dealt with the immediate threats, Emery proceeded to seal the entrance tunnel. The massive rocky door ground closed, ensuring that the dark elves inside would neither escape nor receive reinforcements. With the cave entrance securely barricaded, Emery steeled himself for the inevitable last stand against the dark elves.
A smirk danced on the dark elf Khan's lips as he declared confidently, "If you're smart, you should quickly defeat me before my brother arrives." His words reverberated within the confined space, brimming with a tacit threat and imminent danger.
Emery, however, maintained a calm demeanor in the face of the looming peril. He responded evenly, "I'm actually counting on it, but if you're ready to start this game, so am I."
As the palpable tension between them escalated, both Emery and Khan began casting buff spells. The silent hymns of their incantations filled the cave, signifying the impending clash. But before their confrontation could begin, the echo of footfalls broke through the tense silence, signaling the arrival of the other dark elves from both paths, almost simultaneously.
Even though he found himself surrounded by the malevolent gaze of eight dark elves, Emery's unwavering confidence remained intact. This surprising display of audacity led Kieran to a sudden realization. "Where's your friend?" he demanded, his eyes darting around in search of the missing Atlas.
With a casual chuckle, Emery retorted, "If you're smart, you should kill me before my friend arrives." The same exact words Kieran just said before.
His teasing words stoked Kieran's annoyance, prompting him to command his group to encircle Emery.
"Now you will die human!!"
They commenced their attack in a coordinated assault. Yet, before a minute passed, they halted abruptly. The ground began to tremble under their feet, and from one of the tunnels, a figure emerged.
It was Atlas, gripping a phantom Drider egg securely under his arm. Trailing behind him was a formidable entourage of dozens of Driders, including the massive [Phantom Drider] running amock behind him.
A triumphant smile tugged at the corners of Emery's mouth. Looking around at the now fully assembled group, he declared, "Now that everyone's here, let's have a good fight" His words echoed within the cave, marking the commencement of the decisive battle.
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